Media Day Odds and Ends

Tip:
If you’ve been itching for six months for this day to arrive, Media Day (Weekend) is not the best time to attend an out-of-the-country wedding.

–Great start to the season Part 1:
DWill on FB being back: “It’s not that awkward yet.” (desnews)

–Great start to the season Part 2:
AK (strained left quadriceps muscle), CJ (strained left hip flexor) and KK (inflamed left knee) sat out the second session of two-a-days.

–No Matty, obviously. But no Fes in any of the pictures either. Maybe he was taking an extended smoking break during the photo shoot.

–Lots of talk about AK’s new guns. See much of a difference?

I see that he has grown-up hair now and DWill appears to have shrunk…I will say, though, that the difference is probably more noticeable between April ’09 and September ’09 than September ’08 and September ’09.

–Does this look like a happy camper to you?

He looks just slightly happier than me to have Carlos back.

–Time for Jerry to put his money where his mouth is:
“Take guys out of the game,” he said. “If they’re not going to run the floor and get involved on the defensive end, I’m going to have to take them out of the game.” (sltrib)

…and…

“Actually, ‘four’ from an offensive standpoint is probably Andrei’s better position,” Sloan said. “So maybe we take a look at that.” (sltrib)

–FB can’t even keep his lies/stories straight for one day. Remember how he spent all summer adamantly declaring that the Jazz and he mutually agreed for him to be traded? On Media Day, he changes his story:

That message [from management that he was not part of the Jazz’s future plans], Boozer suggested, was delivered when the team declined to offer him a contract extension after he decided June 30 [to opt in]. (sltrib)

But then, he also says: “Coach wants me to be here. My teammates want me to be here. Management brought me back and I’m happy to be here in a Jazz uniform and not going somewhere else.” (Dime)

So just to recap, first he and the Jazz agreed for him to be traded. Then, he and the Jazz never had any agreement, and he was merely drawing his own conclusions when the Jazz failed to throw more money at him even though the return on their initial investment was so freaking high. Then, management “brought me back.” You’re the one that opted in; the final year on your contract was not a team option. What the hell are you talking about?

As if that’s not enough prickery dickery dock for one day, he once again declares himself the starter:

“I feel like I’m the starter. I think I’ve earned that. That’s the only role I’ve been in my whole career.”

…declares himself far superior to Sap (even if he is, what kind of self-purported team guy does that? Do you hear DWill talking about how he’s leagues ahead of Price, or KK talking about how he’s a FT shooter than CJ?)

“You know, I think Paul is very good. I guess if we are competing, then we’re competing for it. But I feel like I am the starter.”

…and then tops it all off by claiming that winning is all that matters to him and that he’s magnanimously willing to sacrifice seconds from his playing time for the sake of the team:

“I mean, if we win that’s all that matters. Not to try to make people happy. But to win basketball games. So if we focus on that, and I have to take two less minutes a game, or whatever the case may be, I think I can make that sacrifice for the betterment of the group.” (desnews)

Which is it, Carlos? Are you the starter, or is winning all that matters? His sense of entitlement is incredible, astounding, unreal. Mind-boggling! Unbelievable, incomprehensible, etc. He’s earned starterhood? How? By sitting on the bench for 50 games? By putting himself ahead of team, time and time again? By destroying the locker room? By decimating the Jazz’s chances of winning? By shooting his mouth off and talking out of his ass at every available opportunity? By being a snake (apologies to snakes)?

Like many others, I am sick of reading and writing about FB, but he just won’t go away or shut his mouth. Even the sound of his voice offends me. Even the way his yappy jaw moves when he snaps his gum annoys me. It’s unbelievable how disconnected from reality he is. He never once admitted any wrongdoing or offered an apology (not for what he said, not for lying, not for speaking out of turn, not for conduct detrimental to the team), and instead kept giving explanations as to why he didn’t do anything wrong. You could have not opted in. Simple as that.

Haven’t had a chance to listen to all the Media Day interviews yet, will get around to that hopefully tomorrow…